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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostle_n	church_n	let_v	2,627	5	4.5197	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89056	A further discovery of the mystery of the last times; as an addition to a little book, called Some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, bordering upon the coming of the Lord Jesus. Set forth for the good of all men; but especially of those who in these dissenting times (wherein Ephraim envieth Juda, and Juda vexeth Ephraim) know not where to settle themselves, or to what society of Christians to joyn themselves: wherein is (as simply and plainly, as the author was able to open those mysterious scriptures quoted in this following treatise) shewed the cause of all our divisions and contentions about matters pertaining to form and order in the church of Jesus Christ; and wherein is moderately proved from those scriptures these particulars. 1. The flourishing and building condition of the church of Jesus Christ in the time of the gospel. ... 7. Lastly, that the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those enemies, and deliver his people, when the restoration of all things shall be.	Mercer, Richard, fl. 1649-1651.; Mercer, Richard, fl. 1649-1651. Some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, bordering upon the coming of the Lord Jesus].	1651 (1651)	Wing M1732; Thomason E637_16; ESTC R206616	80,538	60

faith and therein they do admonish them as is cleer from the second of Peter 2. 1. and from the Epistle of Jude the 4. and this I do acknowledge was writ unto such men as were in gospel order and they are admonished to persevere and to continue in love unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. But these Churches have since fallen asleep Mathew 13. 15. the ordinances are corrupted or changed as is acknowledged by these men now let themselves judge what is in these Epistles and verses aleadged for the restoring of them these Churches have lost their power the sun is gon down over the Prophers Micah 3. 6. and I looke for some place of Scripture for their raising again before the Lord appear And thus I hope I have fully answered to those Scriptures A fourth Scripture which is alledged is Revelation the 2. 23. where it is said speaking of the woman Jezebel which did teach and seduce his people he saith And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know Thereby arguing that when the Lord appears and destroys Jezebel that then all the Churches that are in being shall know and see his judgements upon her To this I answer and desire all men to take notice of the contents of this second chapter which is to approve and to reprove sundry matters among the Churches unto whom St. John wrote and amongst the rest the Church of Thyatira is reproved for suffering the woman Jezebel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce his people and having spoken of the judgements which he will bring upon her he saith and all the Churches shall know that is say they al the Churches that are in being when the Lord doth appear shall know how he will punish this woman now pray take notice in the first chapter and 11 verse St John is commanded to write this Revelation in a book and send it to the seven Churches that are in Asia and so fulfilling his commission in his exhortation unto the severall Churches he still concludes with this admonition Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches now what Churches are those that are exhorted to hear the Churches which shall be at the end of the world or those that St. John wrote unto I think it is unlikely that St John should write unto Churches in being then admonithing them to hear and this to be applied for the raising of Churches at the end of the world or neer that time and in this verse it is said and all the Churches shall know now what shall they know Why they shall know that if this Church of Thyatira will not restaine this woman Jezebel by her power while they have it that the Lord will execute his power himself and they shall know it And where it is aledged that those Churches here spoken of are those Churches that are in being when the Lord doth appear I answer where is the least colour for it in the text for these Churches are no other but those Churches which are writ unto which are the seven Churches of Asia which still are admonished Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches Moreover he doth admonish this Church of Thyatira that if she did not exercise her power that then all the Churches should know that I am he that searcheth the reines and the heart and will give unto every one of you according to your works that is as I conceive if you do your duty while you have power and if you neglect your duty having power the time will come when you shall know that I will reward every one of you according to your works moreover experience teacheth us that those Churches have the candlestick removed from them and have no being and therefore in my judgment it is but a weake foundation to raise ordinances upon and to gather Churches upon when once they have lost their power and are polluted and Antichrist seated in them And so much for this Scripture A fist and last Scripture which is alledged is from Rev. 18. 20. where the destruction of Babylon is set forth and an exhortation given unto his people in these words Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her from whence is inferred that when the Lord doth destroy Babylon that then his people being in Church order having Apostles and Prophets shall rejoyce for the destruction thereof To which I answer First it is not said heavens that is Churches but heaven that is as I conceive the Church of God in all ages being now a triumphant Church their enemies being destroyed and is exhorted to rejoyce Secondly pray mind what the people of the Lord are incited unto namely to rejoyce which is fulfilled in the 11. chapter and 16 17 18 verses and in the 15. chapter 2 3 4 verses and 19 chapter 2 3 4 verses compared with Isaiah the 12. chapter In Rev. 11. 16. you have the foure and twenty elders mentioned and in ver 19. you have the four and twenty Elders and the foure beasts mentioned which cannot well be expounded the Churches and Apostles and Prophets which shall be in being when the Lord doth appear now let themselves judge whether here be any thing towards the raising of ordinances or gathering of Churches for which these Scriptures are brought for I professe with reverence to all just wayes of God that to me these Scripturs seem to be a weak foundation to build such a structure upon as is pretended namely that the raising of ordinances as is practised in these daies is the onely way by which the Lord will by degrees draw and deliver his people out of Babylon to meet him in Sion It is yet objected that is it the Lords own precept mentioned Matth. 28. saying Go and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost and the promise is annexed and lo I am with you unto the end of the world whereupon is concluded that his people are to practise the ordinances in their purity untill the Lord appear To which I answer first that it is acknowledged by these men that there hath been an interruption both in the succession of the Ministry and in the corrupting the purity of the ordinances and I look for some proof from Scripture Rule for their raising Secondly it is affirmed by Mr John Saltmarch who had knowledg in the Greek copies that the words unto the end of the world if truely translated is but to the end of that age or administration and he quotes the Greek text in his book called some beames of the morning starr in the margent of the same book page 134. But thirdly it is usuall in Scripture phrase that for End is meant but length of time and not to the end of the world or of all ages as is

content with the Earths helping the woman that is in swallowing the floud up which the serpent had cast out of his mouth to carry the woman away which is now well aswaged blessed be God therefore that it is to be feared that our Contentions will be a means to ruine our selves and so the beast rise and bring us into bondage to worship his Image or else to be killed for the Lord may for a punishment unto us for our dissention in matters perteining to outward order stir up such as may give power to the Image of the beast that the Image of the beast may both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed Seventhly gentle Reader If none of these Scriptures move thee which I have quoted in this following treatise to believe the people of the Lord Jesus must lie in these severall dispensations before the generall Restoration of all things by the Lord Jesus himself then let the experience of the times perswade thee For if thou diligently consider of the times thou shalt find that the Church flourished for a time it then declined or slumbred for another time the servants have been awake for another time and for the Jews they have been asleep or dead in respect of any temple and worship for many ages and there is a time for the people of the Lord Jesus to be asleep or dead Matthew 25. 5. in respect of Gospel order before the great restoring which we ought with much earnestness to cry unto the Lord for and this the Scriptures which I have alledged do abundantly prove in my sense which I am forced to believe untill I see a better given Eightly all that I shall desire of thee will be but this all those Reasons considered in this following Treatise that it may but worke some moderate conformity among Christians or at least that enmity and bitterness may be laid aside among Christians in profession and the edge of hatred abated amongst them in resisting one another unto bloud for matter pertaining to form and discipline in the Church of Jesus Christ and let Christians remember that if what they profess be truth that it is of a prevailing nature and will stand when Errour falls and let them remember that Gamaliels Counsell will prove true that if it be of God it will stand in spite of all opposition and if it be not it will fall though we strive never so much to hold it up Ninthly Christian Reader I shall desire thee that if thou find any thing of God in this following treatise then let him have the glory which is worthy of it and let me have thy prayer that have need of it and if in this worke God be but so much glorified as it be but to the setling of our soules that were distracted by means of our distempers and contentions about Religion I have my reward Lastly I desire thee Christian Reader whosoever thou art though the greatest lover of order in this time of disorder that if thou see that I have erred in the body of this Treatise or in any branch thereof that if thou know my face or canst with conveniency come to the knowledg of me that thou wouldst admonish me of it and if thou know me not that thou wouldest make it appear wherin I have erred and if it arise to such a sum as thou thinkest is worthy of an answer I promise thee by the word of a Christian that I will to use Job's expression in Job 31. 36. take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a Crown unto me and if it weigh too heavy for me that is if I be not able to reply to it by arguments drawn from Scripture Rule then I promise thee by the same word that I wil God assisting me as publickly revoke what I have done as I have now publickly divulged this in print however I shall take thine admonition as an oyntment to my head and count the stripes of a friend better then the kisses of an enemy And so leaving thee to the protection of the Almighty and wishing thee as much happiness both of body and soul as I would wish my self I remain thine in the Lord in the duties of Christianity RICHARD MERCER A further Discovery of the Mystery of the last Times c. THat great Creatour and Governour of all things the mighty God which hath in diverse manners and Administrations spoke unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in this last age spoken unto us by his Son this Son which is the Lord Jesus hath also spoken unto us by himself and by his Apostles in these last ages in divers manners and administrations which is that Prophet which we ought to hear in all things Deut. 18. 15. and to observe his word revealed unto us and to follow him in all his wayes and dispensations in which he delivereth himselfe unto his people For the cleering of which and to shew the divers wayes of the Lord in his making out of himselfe unto his people I shall propound these severall particulars unto the consideration of all men First That there is a building and flourishing condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel Secondly That there is a declining and falling off or slumbring condition of the said Church Thirdly That there is a sleepy or dead condition of all the outward face of the said Church Fourthly That there is to be a most glorious restoring of the said Church by the Lord Jesus himself Fifthly That this Restoring will be most sudden and unexpected Sixthly I shall shew according to the light I have received the severall formes and goverments in severall ages which shall be enemies unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these severall administrations which the Lord Jesus doth suffer his people to ly under Lastly That the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those Enemies of his people at his next appearing without the help of any humane power Now for my more orderly proceeding in the cleering of the truth of these particulars I shall handle them as they ly in order and shall answer all the objections I have heard made against any of them And therefore of the first That there is a building and flourishing condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel is a truth so cleer as it needs no cleering for all men know that it did abundantly flourish in the first Gospell times but for time how long it will be necessary to treat of therefore pray note I conceive the Church did flourish and spread during the time of our Saviour and his Apostles and during the time of the ten persecutions untill the time of Constantine the first Christian Emperour in all which time notwithstanding the Church was persecuted and afflicted with sundry miseries yet by the grace of Christ Jesus she did continually flourish to the spreading of her self to

that corrupt channel of the Church of Rome therefore it must needs follow that insomuch as the Scripture is acknowledged to be our director in all things by all Reformers and for so much as all that enter not by the door are theeves and robbers John 10. 1. and for as much as none can preach except they be sent according to the doctrine of Paul Romans the 10. 15. and for as much as the prophet Isaiah sends us to the Law and to the Testimony and saith If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isaiah 8. 20. and the Apostle Saint Paul in the aforesaid text of the Romans alledgeth Scripture for his and others preaching the Gospel and saith As it is written how beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tydings of good things therefore I say If we will reform being the lesser part we must necessarily have some Scripture for our warrant to shew that the time is out for our deliverance and some mention made in Scripture of some Anoynting to reform the Church of Jesus Christ after the ordinances are corrupted or changed as is acknowledged which if it can be produced either by plain letter or by consequence that when once the ordinances are changed or corrupted that they are to be restored in their purity and that the people of the Lord Jesus are to gather themselves out of Babylon or the Antichristian state wherin they lay in captivity among all sorts of men in visible bodies with all those officers as Apostles Pastors Teachers and Elders as they were in the first Gospel times before the Lords appearing to restore his people I shall by the help of God subscribe unto them and confess my Errour yet nevertheless there are some texts alledged for the maintenance of it I shall name them as I go and examine them according to my understanding and leave them to the men that alledged them to judg The first text which is aleadged for the raising of ordinances is from Psalm 75. 2. where the prophet speaking in the person of God saith when I shall receive the congregation I will judg uprightly whence is inferred that when the Lord Jesus doth appear there will be a congregation To which I answer and do confess that the Psalmist in that place speaks of the appearance of Jesus Christ as is plain from verse the first where it is said for that thy name is neer thy wondrous works declare but touching that 2 verse from whence that inference is taken I conceive the true sense is no other but that before the Lord appeare the congregation is judged unrighteously by the men of the world or by such as Rule in the Church of Jesus Christ having no commission from him or as it is in Matthew the 24. 48. and Zechariah 11. 16. by that evill servant which saith in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken but when the Lord doth appear he will take the government of the congregation to himself and will judg uprightly Agreeable to those texts of Scriptures Isa. 11. 4. Micah 4. 3. The second text is from Isaiah 10. 27. where it is said And it shall come to passe in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulders and his yoake from off thy neck and the yoake shall be destroyed because of the anyonting from whence is inferred that in the last dayes the Lord will anoynt his people by his Spirit so that they shall by degrees gather themselves out of Babylon or the antichristian state into bodies or single fellowships to meet the Lord in Sion For answer unto which pray note the text it self for it is not said thou shalt deliver thy self because of the anoynting but it is said In that day his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder and the yoake from off thy neck and the yoake shall be destroyed because of the annointing which argueth thus much that the Lord will deliver his people by the hand of some extraordinary messenger that he wil appoint for that purpose which I conceive is the Lord Jesus for he alludes unto the deliverance of his people out of Egypt and to that deliverance from Midian at the rock Oreb as it is in the foregoing verse being the 26. Now it is known to all men that in those deliverances there was Moses and Gideon extraordinarily sent to deliver his people and can it be thought that in that great deliverance of all the deliverances that have happened unto the people of God that deliverance from sin and death only excepted wherin Ephrahim shall no more envy Juda nor yet Juda vex Ephrahim and that from thenceforth the wolf and the lamb shall feed together and that from thenceforth they shall hurt nor destroy no more in the mountain of Gods holinesse that the Lord will deliver his people by themselves contrary to his practice in all ages as may be abundantly proved from Moses Joshua Jeptha Deborah Barak unto Zorobabel which were all types of that great deliverer of his people as may be seen Haggai 2. 23. where Jesus Christ is set forth under the name of Zorobabel Beside pray mark the 33d verse of that 10. of Isaiah where it is plainly said Behold the Lord the Lord of bosts shall lop the bough with terrour and the high ones of stature shall be hewen down and the mighty shall be humbled and he shall cut down the thickets of the forrest with iron and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one Now let any man judge if this be meant his people by themselves or else the deliverance to come by some extraordinary messenger The next two texts which are alleadged for the raising of ordinances I put them both together because I suppose they aime at one and the same thing are the 2 Pet. 2. 11 14. and the Epistle of Jude ver 20 21. where it is said Wherefore beloved seeing you look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse And then in Jude it is said But ye beloved edifie your selves in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost and keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternall life From whence is gathered that in the last daies the people of the Lord Jesus Christ must walk in Gospel order being baprized and gather themselves into visible bodies to meet the Lord in Sion To which I answer and desire all men to take notice of the scope of the Apostles in these two places namely to arme the Christians unto whom they wrote to take heed of false teachers which were crept in amonst them to beware of them and to be watchfull over themselves and that they should build up themselves in their most holy

the country of Pledmont what wars and bloud-shed there hapned what extremity the poore people were put unto by the Lord of Trinity his Army may be seen in Acts and Monuments the 2 volume page 202. 3. What misery hath befallen in the realme of France touching dissention about Religion between the Papists and Protestants containing some Kings raigns what bloud was shed in those battels and wars between the two parties may be seen in the Soveraigne power of Paliaments and kingdomes the 3d part written by Mr. William Prin page the 34 and so forth 4. What wars and bloudshed followed in Germany of late years about Munster between the common people and the nobilitie about matters touching religion is best known unto those that have read the history Lastly What wars and miseries have followed in this nation within this few years experience hath taught us the principle quarrell being about religion and although I do not dispute the lawfulnesse of the Parliaments just warr in respect of civill rights having my selfe taken part with the Parliament and by their Authority born arms to defend my civill rights yet touching religion when I consider the Lord Jesus being king of peace me thinks there should no arms be taken up to defend religion and although I do acknowledg that it is our Saviours words that he came not to send peace on the earth but the sword that is after the preaching of the Gospel there would follow wars and combustions among the nations yet I do not find that he left any example by any of his messengers that private subjects should defend their religion by the sword neither do I question but that lawfull Authority may defend their religion by armes but this I find that in most of our Reformations England onely excepted where the change hath been made by the Prince or State that at one time or other the subjects have taken arms to defend their religion against Authority These things being considered diligently I leave it to the judicious reader to judge whether that of the Prophet Isaiah may not be applied unto all our Reformations I mean in outward discipline and order in his 50. chapter verse 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lie down in sorrow and I shall leave it also to the people of God themselves to consider if the reformers in those severall ages may not justly take up that complaint of the Church in that 26. of the Prophet Isaiah verse the 18. We have been with child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the earth fallen which experience doth fully teach in all those Reformations for the inhabitants of the world are not yet fallen which all the foregoing premises diligently considered makes me undoubtedly be perswaded that the Lord will not deliver his people by themselves in any of those waies which are now practised but will deliver his people by himself in some extraordinary manner at his next appearing which will be like lightning Now the summe of all that hath been said gathered up together is this that during the sleep of the people of God the enemies came and sowed tares among the wheat the servants neglecting their duty of being watchfull these tares are grown too many for the good seed and have got possession in the Church and have captivated the people of God and have brought them into bondage under which they must lie untill the great deliverer come to deliver them But me thinks I heare a question put which hath already been put to me that is What profession is this man of for he seems to be contrary to all men this seems to us to be strange doctrine that the people of God must lie in bondage under the antichristian state and may not deliver themselves by Gospel order what profession is this man of To which I answer that I am a man which desires so farr as my infirmity will give me leave and the Lord inable me against it to keep faith and a good Conscience and by watching and prayer to wait for my Masters coming and if for my admonition I gain nothing from the men of every profession but evill will and it may be reproaches which have happened already I passe not if I be judged leaving the matter to God However I have not hid my talent in a napkin but have declared that light I have received wherein I have not presumed to a prophets office that is to declare hidden things but what is I conceive revealed in the word though mystically and I do not remember that ever I heard or read of any that treated of this mater which did incourage me in the work And if as I say I gain evill will for it it is no more then what the prophet Jeremiah met with which he complaines of in chapter 15 10. where he saith Wo is me my Mother that thou hast born me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole Earth I have not lent on usury neither have men lent to me on usury yet every one of them doth curse me which shewes that he had done nothing in the world worthy of blame but had behaved himselfe honestly among all men yet neverthelesse because he taught them to submit themselves where God had subjected them therefore he complaines that every one doth curse him which if it be my lot I have done my duty and shall leave the issue to God But it may be objected if we may not look to have the ordinances restored again in their purity because the glory is departed from them why what is then to be done To which I answer that I have propounded my light that I have received desiring no man to follow it further then he seeth it to be truth in the mean time I leave every man to walk in humility according to the dictates of his own conscience and where his conscience leads him let him practise but let him beware he do not say See here is Christ and see there is Christ for the next appearing will be a glory so excellent as it will bury all earthly administrations and let him also remember that it is not Circumcision nor uncircumcision that availeth any thing but a new Creature And for as much as I as yet can find no Rule in Scripture concerning outward administrations for the people of God to walk in after the abomination is set up which makes the ordinances desolate of the Spirit of God and drives the glory of God from all outward administrations as experience teacheth us therefore my admonition will be this That let every man strive earnestly by watching and prayer giving the Lord no rest till he establish and till